Disquiet
by Scarlet Meadowes
Summary: Marielle Lockwood has spent her high school years moving place to place with her single mother. The year she is meant to begin her senior year, her mother decides to miraculously settle back down in Mystic Falls. Expecting to be bored in her mundane home-town, Marielle is unpleasantly surprised.
1. prologue

_**DISQUIET **__BY SCARLET MEADOWES_

**prologue**

She grabbed a pile of t-shirts from my dresser and quickly piled them into a suitcase.

"Are you positive that this is what you want to do?" she asked her eyes pouring into mine for the first time all day.

"Absolutely. This is for the best. " I told her, almost mechanically. I had spent all week convincing myself that it was the truth. I would leave my life behind again to protect _them. _No matter what it took. They were the most important. I had to protect them from him and the rest of the world. Heaven knows what would happen if word got out about my... _predicament. _

No. I wouldn't allow it. They are innocent _this is not their fault._

_To hell with maintaining the balance. That's not my job. _

_She sighed, gently grabbing me by the forearms, her eyes focused on my face._

_"You know he'll find you sooner or later." she spoke, the slightest trace of fear in her voice. _

_"Yeah. Hopefully later."_

_She sighed, and quickly wound her arms around me, enveloping me in a tight hug._

_"Promise you will call me from the border?" she asked, as she pulled away, her hands still holding mine, face full of concern._

_"Yeah," I nodded. "And if he asks?..."_

_"I know nothing."_


	2. chapitre une

chapitre une

**months earlier...**

Mystic Falls had changed quite a bit in the years I had been gone, but at the same time, it hadn't.

There were still the same buildings, the same unnecessary celebrations, and the same cheeseburgers. It was the people that had changed, but only later would I understand how true that statement really was.

"MAE!" exclaimed Caroline enveloping me in a bone-crushing hug and lifting me off the ground. She looked essentially the same as she had before (minus the bright pink braces), a fact that I would've taken comfort in, if I wasn't trying to keep from fainting. The blonde had quite a grip.

"Shit, Care, when did you get so strong? Put me down!"

"Sorry!," replied Caroline apologetically, a sheepish grin on her face. "I'm just so glad to see you! You got really hot! I'll be a little more...uh...gentle next time."

I smiled at her. A real genuine smile.

"No problem, now are you going to leave me out in the heat or invite me in?" I asked sarcastically.

Suddenly, Caroline's face fell, much to my confusion.

"Why?" Asked the blonde, widening her eyes.

I raised my eyebrow. "Well that's usually the most courteous thing to do in a situation like this."

Caroline looked embarrassed for a second, as if she was a child who had been caught red-handed with her hand in the cookie jar. "Of course, I'm just a little paranoid...because of..." She struggled for a second. "This stupid horror movie that I saw a little while ago, it totally freaked me out."

I playfully rolled my eyes. It was just like Caroline to get all freaked out over something so insignificant, I thought.

"Now get your ass in here. I want us to catch up before the Founder's party. "

"I can't believe we still have those." I muttered, pulling off my shoes.

"Tell me about it. Like honestly, look at this town. Wickery bridge has been down for a year but we can't afford to fix that. Let's just have a few hundred pointless celebrations instead."

Caroline and I spent a few hours talking. I learned that she was the head cheerleader and that she was dating my cousin, Tyler, something that made me a little nervous, knowing his history with girls. Overall, I was happy for her. She had everything she had wanted, she was happy and she knew exactly where she was going.

At the time, I was just the slightest envious, but I wouldn't have been had I known the truth.

"Oh and Elena was dating this guy named Stefan, but he's been MIA for a little while so don't bring it up. Also, she's been spending a lot of time around his older brother, who I used to date."

"...a lot of time?" I asked, excited at the idea of some gossip. The town of Mystic Falls had never been too interesting, I would've taken what I got.

"Yeah..." she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"And you're okay with that?"

"Absolutely. I am wholeheartedly in love with your cousin. You have no reason to be concerned. Everything is great. "

When we were younger, Caroline was always a bad liar, so I bought her cover entirely. But like I said before, people had changed, in every sense of the word.

I smiled. "Can we go now? I want to see 'Lena and Bonnie!"

"I come bearing gifts!" exclaimed Caroline as Elena opened the door.

"Please don't tell me it's chil- Bonnie!" Elena happily embraced her friend.

"It's so great to have you back!, how was your summer?"

Care and I had met up with Bonnie a few minutes before we left her house. She had welcomed me back with open arms and we had spent the car ride reminiscing about _the good ol'day__s__._

_"Do you remember when Caroline kissed Connor Davies in the seventh grade and her braces cut his lip?"_

_"Can we please not talk about my lov-"_

_"Oh my god, yes! He was bleeding everywhere! It was almost like she hit an artery!"_

I smiled, overcome with nostalgia, deciding to finally make myself known to the unsuspecting brunette.

"Mae?!" Elena exclaimed, her eyes wide in what I can only hope was surprise.

She wrapped her arms tightly around me. "Oh my god, I didn't know you were coming back!"

"Well, neither did I. My mum just woke up some day, and she suddenly missed Mystic enough to move back permanently."

The girls paused for a second and I remember thinking that I had done something wrong. Didn't they like me? Weren't they my friends? I thought she'd be a little more excited.

"You're moving back?" asked Elena, her eyes focused on my face.

"That's what I said." I replied with a nervous giggle. She didn't seem too happy.

Her face fell for a second. If I had been less self-absorbed at that moment, I would've noticed that it was due to concern, not disappointment.

A few minutes later, we began to converse normally, and I felt a little stupid. Elena was just a little surprised. She wants me here, right? I had known these girls since before I could walk, and it takes time to transition someone back in to your life. I was cool with that, I decided as I walked out of the bathroom.

"Maybe it's a sign you shouldn't be wearing it."

"Caroline..."

"What? I'm just saying if you're gonna be 'cooking' without Stefan."

"Let me see it."

I turned the corner into the kitchen.

"See what?" I asked.

"Oh nothing, Elena just broke her necklace." Bonnie replied, reaching for said item, which was now sitting on Elena's palm.

Suddenly, as she made contact with accessory, she hissed and it fell to the ground.

"What just happened?" I questioned.

"Nothing it's just a bit hot, I fell into the chili." Reassured Elena, offering me a smile. "Let's go now. The party will be starting soon."

Later, at the founder's party I sat on the couch, trying to distract myself with a game of angry birds when a dark-haired blue-eyed man came and sat beside me.

"Having fun?" he asked.

"Sure." I replied disinterestedly. He was pretty good looking, I won't bother trying to deny it, but I was hardly in the mood.

My friends were hiding something big from me, and even though it was understandable considering the time we spent apart, I was upset.

It was irrational for me to feel like this which made me feel even worse. I was supposed to be smart.

"Don't think I've ever seen you here before, I'm Damon S-"

"Damon."

I looked up and spotted a brunette man with a warning look of his face.

"Alaric." replied Damon.

Alaric ignored him and turned to look at me with a friendlier expression, extending his hand as I stood up.

"You must be Marielle Lockwood. It's nice to meet you. I'm Alaric Saltzman, I teach history at Mystic High."

"It's nice to meet you... but do you personally introduce yourself to all your students?" I asked, brushing down my dress before shaking his hand. I had gone to many different schools over the past four years, but as tight-knit Mystic Falls was, I found this a little unorthodox. But then again, he was probably just being polite, and I am a Lockwood.

"I'm also Elena and Jeremy's legal guardian."

That's right, I remember hearing something about a Ric.

"Oh... well, then you can call me Mae."

Damon got up and placed his hand on my shoulder, a gesture that made me slightly uncomfortable. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mae, and don't worry, he's totally qualified to look after them. He used to date their aunt and his ex-wife is Elena's bi-"

Alaric cut him off.

"Yes. I see why'd you make a better choice. He's her ex's brother."

Ah. So this is the older brother that Elena's been getting cozy with.

Damon opened his mouth like he was going to say something before I spoke up. "Well, you two have fun. I think my mother's calling me over."

The men seemed to be pretty occupied between themselves, so I decided that it would be best to leave.

I had no idea what would happen to me the next morning.

**A/N: Thank you for reading, and please follow/favourite if you'd like and/or leave a review, I would like some feedback :)**

**Also, I don't plan on just inserting Mae into the original story, although some components and events will still be in here. I also haven't watched past season 3 (and really don't plan on it), so basically it will be completely AU from that point on.**

_- Scarlet Meadowes_


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